Ten Fingerprint Scan at JFK

More Biometrics? Should Your Fingerprint Be Your ID?

If you're a foreign traveler heading into JFK airport, be ready to have all ten digits scanned. As part of a heightened security plan, the Department of Homeland Security just announced an upgrade from a two-finger scan to ten. Officials say,

"Biometrics have revolutionized our ability to prevent dangerous people from entering the United States since 2004. Our upgrade to 10-fingerprint collection builds on our success, enabling us to focus more attention on stopping potential security risks."

It's not just in the name of safety, however. Businesses like Dunkin' Donuts are increasingly using the scan-erators to keep tabs on employee whereabouts. Companies claim they use them to streamline administration, though employees resent the biological intrusion. Ed Ott, executive director of the New York City Central Labor Council of the AFL-CIO says, "They don't even have to hire someone to harass you anymore. The machine can do it for them. The palm print thing really grabs people as a step too far."

Is the use of biometrics too prevalent and James Bond-esque? Do you worry about your civil liberties?

Yes this is TOO much. It totally reminds me of a bad science fiction novel. Everyday I hear these stories, I don't understand why agnostics don't see the Bible as truth. Everything predicted in Revelation is slowly but surely becoming real. And yes I know that people have predicted the apocalypse since hundreds of years ago, but it gets more real every day. When you think that this sort of biometric scanning is "safe", you're just replacing one "threat" with another. This is not going to keep Americans and other visitors safe from terrorism. This is going to keep Americans vulnerable to identity theft, and security issues. The Real ID act is another issue similar to this. Barack seems like a great dude and yay for the whole racial equality thing, seriously. I like him as a person. But as a politician, I cannot trust him knowing that he supports the Real ID act. I DO NOT support the government having so much control and influence over our lives. The next thing you know, they'll be monitoring where we go, who we talk to, etc. just like they monitor common criminals right now. Give people an inch, they'll take a mile. Please wake up people. This is madness. Didn't you hear the report: there really weren't any weapons of mass destruction.

My boyfriend is ISO (Information Security Officer) at his company, which handles medical records. He has a federal duty to ensure these records stay secure. He implemented a few biometric security procedures, including fingerprints. I like it. He put my print on his laptop too, so if I ever lose mine and my desktop on the same day, I can use his. I just enjoy going *swipe* "Access Granted".

HA! I can't believe you quoted Idiocracy! Hysterical!!
My fav quote - its the scene in the future where he goes to the Dr. and the Dr. says "It says here you're f'd up, you talk like a _, and you're sh*ts all retarded."
Everytime I think of that it makes me laugh so hard!

I am just going to copy and paste lil, because this is exactly what I want to say, but she said it first and better then I can. ;)
I would have to look at this on a case-by-case basis. As far as the JFK situation goes, I am all for using the 10-finger scan, especially seeing as they already use a 2-finger scan. As for Dunkin' Donuts, working there or anywhere is a privilege, not a right. If you disagree with a company's identification practices, you are free to not work there. Benalby, I understand your point, but do you have any evidence of finger scans being easily duplicated/stolen by others? That article was short, but it seemed to me like that person made scans of her own fingers and "fooled" the machines. I think it would be much more difficult to make scans of someone else's fingers. Also, I believe some fingerprint machines also look at the blood vessels underneath your finger tip. How could that be duplicated? Also, if someone steals your social security number, it's definitely not easy to replace. Identity theft costs people millions of dollars every year, and it's much easier to steal someone's social security number than to steal someone's biometrics. Hey, maybe someday we'll all have microchips implanted in our bodies and use them for identification and to pay for everything. They say it's the wave of the future!

I think it is a tough balancing act.
All in all, I am more concerned with that fact that it has come out that the US Government has outsourced the production of US Passports to overseas, including a company in Thailand that was a vicitim of Chinese espionage.

I would have to look at this on a case-by-case basis. As far as the JFK situation goes, I am all for using the 10-finger scan, especially seeing as they already use a 2-finger scan. As for Dunkin' Donuts, working there or anywhere is a privilege, not a right. If you disagree with a company's identification practices, you are free to not work there. Benalby, I understand your point, but do you have any evidence of finger scans being easily duplicated/stolen by others? That article was short, but it seemed to me like that person made scans of her own fingers and "fooled" the machines. I think it would be much more difficult to make scans of someone else's fingers. Also, I believe some fingerprint machines also look at the blood vessels underneath your finger tip. How could that be duplicated? Also, if someone steals your social security number, it's definitely not easy to replace. Identity theft costs people millions of dollars every year, and it's much easier to steal someone's social security number than to steal someone's biometrics. Hey, maybe someday we'll all have microchips implanted in our bodies and use them for identification and to pay for everything. They say it's the wave of the future!

Sure, this harkens back to the topic re: Internet Voting and security issues. Finger print and retina scans are the most precise measure of identity we have aside form DNA testing but I'm sure my banker does not relish the prospect of swabbing my cheek for DNA every time I come in.

There are huge problem with using biometrics for authentication - the ease of which they're duplicated, and the fact that they're irrevocable.
Fingerprint scanners are notoriously easy to fool.
http://www.engadget.com/2004/07/19/gelatin-vs-biometrics/
Then there's the fact that if someone is able to duplicate your
fingerprint/retina scan/tastebud pattern, you're boned for life.
If someone steals your username/password, you can replace it.
If someone steals or duplicates your smartcard for login, you can replace it.
You only have ONE set if biometric data. If that gets compromised, there's nothing you can ever do to change them.